IAPRI Working Group:
Sustainable Packaging

Mission statement

To create a forum for exchanging views around packaging and sustainability, to share ongoing activities and to foster an understanding of packaging contribution to sustainability.

Chair

Kennert Johansson, Innventia AB, Sweden

Actions and progress

Online

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=1964490

More information

The Workgroup Sustainable Packaging has existed for some years under the leadership of Kees Sonneveld. At the IAPRI meeting at Greenville there was a change of chairman to Kennert Johansson. At the meeting were discussed different issues around sustainability and packaging.

One thing to notice is the broadening views of Sustainability. As quoted from most definitions Sustainability encompasses environmental, economical and social aspects. One conclusion from discussion we had in Greenville was that still the environmental issue is the most apparent. Economical factors have always been at hand but now we see more and more of the social aspects. The social aspect, in the packaging area, deals with the consumer view and perception of packaging.

The working group has an important mission to put together all these elements and to form a vision of packaging and sustainability for the next decade. Building on the basic performance elements of packaging which have been at hand for tens of years but put it in a modern perspective.

Forming of the discussion group at Linkedin is a way to keep the discussion ongoing between IAPRI meetings. Now, after some start up of the discussions it is time for the group to discuss and agree on a focus for its efforts.

Besides some important activities amongst members there have been launched a report in Europe by ECR, Europe about Packaging and Sustainability. ECR stands for Efficient Consumer Response. Another report on its way with the same focus comes from the Global CEO Forum. This is a forum where global leaders amongst brand owners and retailers meet. These reports are written from an industrial viewpoint but I am convinced that when coming into the metrics of packaging and sustainability researchers have an important role to play.

We strongly invite more members to take part in the working group.